Books and articles about Irish Meusel

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Irish was the older brother of Bob Meusel, also a star outfielder. The two faced each other in three successive World Series (1921-23), Irish playing for the Giants, Bob for the Yankees. Though of Alsatian heritage, Irish got his nickname because he looked Celtic. He had seemed lackadaisical as a .300-hitting Phillies outfielder. John McGraw obtained him in July 1921 and made him the cleanup batter for the Giants team that won four straight pennants, 1921-24. Irish hustled in the field for the acerbic McGraw. He had over 100 RBI each year from 1922 to 1925, with a career-high 132 in 1922, and a league-high 125 in 1923. (JK)

FROM THE BASEBALL CHRONOLOGY » July 29, 1921: John McGraw buys OF Irish Meusel, who is hitting .353 but has been suspended by the Phillies for lackadaisical play. McGraw gives up three bench warmers and $30,000. The Giants take three from the Reds and go into the NL lead for the first time. They will fall back by seven games before coming on with a rush in September. » October 4, 1922: For the first time since 1908, two repeaters meet in the WS. The Yankees get there with an all righthanded starting pitching staff; the Giants on a .305 BA. In a return to the 7-game format, the Giants will win four games while scoring in only five innings. The Yankees’ Joe Bush (26–7) leads Art Nehf (19–13) 2–0 when Irish Meusel’s 2-run single and Pep Young’s sacrifice fly score three runs in the eighth for a 3–2 win in game 1. Rosy Ryan (17–12) gets the win in relief. » May 30, 1923: After playing before the National League's biggest crowd (41,000) in the P.M. game of the holiday twin bill against Brooklyn, the Giants head west with a 4-game lead over the Pirates. Five regulars will bat over .300, and three will top 100 RBI, led by NL leader Irish Meusel's 125. At 3B, rookie Travis Jackson takes over for gimpy Heinie Groh. With five future Hall of Famers in the lineup and eight on the roster during the season, the Giants will be the first team to hold first place from opening to closing day and the only NL team to have done it. With average pitching, they win just 95 games, but it's enough for a four 1/2 game margin over the Reds. » September 2, 1925: After losing Game One by a 6–3 score to the Phils, the Giants unload in a nitecap, 24–9 shelling. The hits keep coming—30 to be exact in a record 58 at-bats—at Baker Bowl. Four New Yorkers—Southworth, Frisch, Irish Meusel, and Lindstrom—each collect four hits apiece, while a ML record-tying ten batters each collect two hits each. Doc Farrell (2-for-3) who takes over for Travis Jackson at short in the 6th is the 10th. Ex-Phil Meusel drives home nine runs, while Rookie Fred Fitzsimmons allows 14 hits, including homers by Cy Williams, Johnny Mokan and Hal Carlson in the 8th frame. Phils starter Art Decatur is the loser. » September 16, 1926: The Giants clean house early, giving Heinie Groh his release and allowing Irish Meusel to buy out his. Irish will finish out his career with a season in Brooklyn. » May 27, 1935: The Red Sox get Oscar Melillo, star 2B, from the Browns, for Moose Solters and $35,000. Solters will make the trade look good, hitting .330 on the year with 104 RBI and become the first American Leaguer to collect 200 hits while playing for two teams. Only Irish Meusel, in the National League, has done it.